D&D General Dungeons of Drakkenheim & Lairs of Etharis: WotC Adds Third Party Products To D&D Beyond

WotC has just announced that it is adding products from Ghostfire Gaming and Dungeon Dudes to the D&D Beyond platform. The products in question are Ghostfire's Grim Hollow: Lairs of Etharis and Dungeon Dudes' Dungeons of Drakkenheim (produced in conjunction with Ghostfire Gaming) which made over $1M on Kickstarter in 2021.

Ghostfire is often seen on the TTRPG Kickstarter charts and has been involved with multiple 5E million-dollar campaigns.

While material from Critical Role has appeared on DDB, this is the first time that something from a publisher without a visibly established prior relationship has been seen there.

Today Wizards of the Coast announced a partnership with publisher Ghostfire Gaming to bring two exciting new products to its digital toolset on D&D Beyond. Grim Hollow: Lairs of Etharis showcases twenty horror-fantasy adventures with more than 75 new monsters while Dungeons of Drakkenheim presents a full campaign set in a ruined city for players to explore created by the popular Dungeon Dudes YouTube channel. Maps, monsters, and more in these offerings will be available for Dungeon Masters to use across D&D Beyond, including full integration in the Maps feature available to subscribers. With these two additions and more on the horizon, Dungeons & Dragons continues to invest in its talented partners and the inspiring creative community and surrounding the World’s Greatest Roleplaying Game.

“It's incredibly important to us to showcase the ingenuity of the D&D community, and we’re excited to share the love of fantasy roleplaying with more fans by bringing the Dungeon Dudes and Ghostfire Gaming to D&D Beyond,” said Marjory Laymon, Vice President of D&D Beyond Product and Tech at Wizards of the Coast. “This is just the first step as we’ve got even more surprises planned for next year as we celebrate the 50th Anniversary of D&D.”

“Grim Hollow and Drakkenheim really are passion projects for Ghostfire and the Dungeon Dudes, respectively, with rich worlds meant to be explored and have stories woven within,” said Ben Byrne, Creative Content Director at Ghostfire Gaming. “That so many new D&D fans will be introduced to them through D&D Beyond is incredibly humbling.”

The locations, maps, and monsters within these offerings will be available to all fans who purchase them to use in their campaigns on D&D Beyond. Players can add feats, spells, and magic items to their character sheets, choose a new background for their character, or indulge in crafting items from parts harvested from adventuring. Dungeon Masters can quickly reference more than a hundred new monsters, faction NPCs, and more in the D&D Beyond compendium.

“Dungeons of Drakkenheim began like every other D&D campaign; as a labor of love shared amongst a few friends at the game table (and a small audience of passionate viewers!) We started this project as a way to express our love of the game and showcase a world filled with all the aspects of fantasy role-playing games that we enjoy most: a blend of gripping action and cosmic horror where the player’s choices matter,” said Montgomery Martin and Kelly Mclaughlin, the Dungeon Dudes. “The original Drakkenheim characters were built and played on D&D Beyond, and so sharing the adventure we created on the platform is a dream come true. We can’t wait to hear the stories of other players’ adventures through the ruined city.”

 

[Distracted DM]

So... People complain that there's no 3PP content support on D&D Beyond but when D&D Beyond actually does sell some 3PP content, there are people complaining. It's exhausting.

To be fair, and I think this is a mistake a lot of people make, these people are generally not the same people. Person A complains about lack of content, DDB publishes 3pp. Person A is quiet. Person B now gripes about the DDB content.

But what people see is complaints no matter what happens, because people are vocal when they're dissatisfied.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

To be fair, and I think this is a mistake a lot of people make, these people are generally not the same people. Person A complains about lack of content, DDB publishes 3pp. Person A is quiet. Person B now gripes about the DDB content.

But what people see is complaints no matter what happens, because people are vocal when they're dissatisfied.

Also, "we want more of this thing" isn't really a complaint in the usual sense. It is a vote of support: "This thing is good, please do it repeatedly."

 

[Parmandur]

One "issue" about this, is that they talk about reviewing previous SRDs, so that would seem to limit it to 3.0 and 3.5. Technically, there's also a 4e SRD, but it contains little gaming material. Despite my wishes, I don't think that there will be a SRD for TSR-era D&D, much less DDB support.

Never say never.

 

[Azzy]

To be fair, and I think this is a mistake a lot of people make, these people are generally not the same people. Person A complains about lack of content, DDB publishes 3pp. Person A is quiet. Person B now gripes about the DDB content.

But what people see is complaints no matter what happens, because people are vocal when they're dissatisfied.

My point, though, is that WotC is in a no-win situation. One faction wants one thing, other group hates that thing. No matter what they do, WotC is going to be blasted.

 

[Parmandur]

I wonder how many additional years that review will take. Long enough for people to forget, I'd bet.

Is there anyone publishing using the 3.x SRD?

Probably will come after they finish the next 5E SRD to incorporate the new changes next year. If they wanted people to forget, they wouldn't bring it up.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

My point, though, is that WotC is in a no-win situation. One faction wants one thing, other group hates that thing. No matter what they do, WotC is going to be blasted.

I'm not sure this is unique to WotC. Isn't everyone with any sort of public profile getting it from multiple sides on a regular basis?

 

[timbannock]

One "issue" about this, is that they talk about reviewing previous SRDs, so that would seem to limit it to 3.0 and 3.5. Technically, there's also a 4e SRD, but it contains little gaming material. Despite my wishes, I don't think that there will be a SRD for TSR-era D&D, much less DDB support.

Notably the language changes throughout the year:

"Jan-Mar 2023: What to expect in 2023":

• Review Previous Editions for Inclusion in Creative Commons: Before adding previous editions into Creative Commons, we need to review the materials for any potential exclusions to preserve the D&D brand. For example, we would not want to unintentionally release Tiamat- or Vecna-brand elements under Creative Commons.

"Jul-Sep 2023: Upcoming":

• Review Previous SRD Editions for Inclusion in Creative Commons: Before adding previous editions into Creative Commons, we need to review the materials in detail as it has been many years since their publication.

"SRD" isn't mentioned in the beginning of the year, but it is a noticeable change in the most recent update. If I were a betting man, I'd put money on that not being a mistake.

 

[Parmandur]

Notably the language changes throughout the year:

"Jan-Mar 2023: What to expect in 2023":

"Jul-Sep 2023: Upcoming":


"SRD" isn't mentioned in the beginning of the year, but it is a noticeable change in the most recent update. If I were a betting man, I'd put money on that not being a mistake.

Accident? No. Significant? Unclear.

Thing is, it's still on tje agenda, and much of thst "Upcoming" list is already done. Releasing SRDs for older editions seems appropriate 50th anniversary fodder.

 

[EternalDungeonMaster]

Dungeons of Drakkenheim looks really interesting, especially given that it's set up for D&D Beyond Maps. I've been really enjoying Maps as a lightweight VTT.

 

[Zaukrie]

Dungeons of Drakkenheim looks really interesting, especially given that it's set up for D&D Beyond Maps. I've been really enjoying Maps as a lightweight VTT.

The maps integration with other stuff.....are the monsters there already? I assume....though....that the encounters aren't pre-built in the encounter tool? Not being able to just start an encounter with the tokens on the map, requiring me to pre-build them, that's been a turn off for me.